U.S. Nationals Picks

We've officially reached the start of summer, which means World Championships in Summer Olympic sports are right around the corner.  All the fun gets started this weekend with the U.S. Track & Field Championships, which will set the team for August's World Championships in London.

The top three advance, as long as they have the qualifying standard.  Unlike the Olympics, though, they don't need to have the standard before the end of Trials.  Athletes that finish in the top three but don't have the standard will have roughly a month to try and get it before their spot is offered to someone else.  As a result, we won't know the finalized team until the end of July.

Also unlike the Olympics, there are byes into the World Championships.  Defending World Champions (of which there aren't many in the U.S.) are given a bye in that event.  So are the overall winners of the 2016 Diamond League, provided they don't do the same event as the defending World Champion (countries can only get a maximum of one wild card per event).  All these athletes have to do to receive their wild card is show up at U.S. Nationals and run a round--in any event.

There are nine Americans who meet these criteria, so it's safe to say the United States will be represented by four athletes in each of those events.  One of which is the women's 100 meter hurdles, an event in which Keni Harrison set a world record last year a week after not even making the Olympic team, where three different Americans swept the medals.  Same thing with Cassandra Tate.  She has a bye in the women's 400 hurdles as the Diamond League winner, but didn't make the Olympic team (where the U.S. went 1-3).  Those are by far the two deepest events at Nationals, and we're going to see potential World medalists left at home.

Some of the other Americans with byes might use this as an opportunity to do some other events at Nationals.  Allyson Felix and LaShawn Merritt both have byes in the 400, so they can run just the 200 at Nationals and still double at Worlds.  Likewise, Tianna Bartoletta has a bye in the long jump, so she can focus on the 100 and, at the very least, being on the U.S. relay.

I also think we might see a little bit of a changing of the guard, as there are some really talented collegians looking to make the U.S. team.  I can easily see some of them medaling in London, as well.  But they'll have to knock off the veterans, some of whom are making one last go round as they attempt to qualify for one final U.S. team.

So, yeah, we're gonna have some fun in Sacramento.  I'm listing my projected top three in each event, regardless of whether or not they already have the standard, and including the wild card entrant in the events where the U.S. gets that extra bid.

MEN
100: Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman, Trayvon Bromell, Ronnie Baker (relay), Cameron Burrell (relay), Tyson Gay (relay)
200: Christian Coleman, Ameer Webb, LaShawn Merritt
400: LaShawn Merritt*, Fred Kerley, Gil Roberts, Michael Cherry, Tony McQuay (relay), Vernon Norwood (relay), David Verburg (relay)
800: Donovan Brazier, Clayton Murphy, Erik Sowinski
1500: Matthew Centrowitz, Ben Blankenship, Kyle Merber
5000: Ben True, Ryan Hill, Hassan Mead
10,000: Galen Rupp, Chris Derrick, Shadrack Kipchirchir
110 Hurdles: Aries Merritt, Aleec Harris, Devon Allen
400 Hurdles: Kerron Clement*, Johnny Dutch, Eric Futch, Michael Tinsley
Steeplechase: Evan Jager, Hillary Bor, Donn Cabral
20 km Walk: John Nunn, Nick Christie, Emmanuel Corvera
Long Jump: Jarrion Lawson, Marquis Dendy, Jeff Henderson
Triple Jump: Christian Taylor*, Will Claye, Omar Craddock, Chris Benard
High Jump: Erik Kynard*, JaCorian Duffield, Tequan Claitt, Jeron Robinson
Pole Vault: Sam Kendricks, Logan Cunningham, Andrew Irwin
Shot Put: Joe Kovacs*, Ryan Crouser, Ryan Whiting, Darrell Hill
Discus: Mason Finley, Sam Mattis, Andrew Evans
Hammer Throw: Rudy Winkler, Kibwe Johnson, Conor McCullough
Javelin: Cyrus Hostetler, Riley Dolezal, Curtis Thompson
Decathlon: Zach Ziemek, Devon Williams, Harrison Williams

WOMEN
100: Tori Bowie, Tianna Bartoletta, English Gardner, Morolake Akinosun (relay), Ariana Washington (relay), Aleia Hobbs (relay)
200: Tori Bowie, Deajah Stevens, Allyson Felix
400: Allyson Felix*, Phyllis Francis, Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Quanera Hayes (relay), Shakima Wimbley (relay), Kendall Ellis (relay)
800: Ajee Wilson, Laura Roesler, Brenda Martinez
1500: Shannon Rowbury, Jenny Simpson, Kate Grace
5000: Molly Huddle, Emily Sisson, Natosha Rogers
10,000: Molly Huddle, Emily Infeld, Shalane Flanagan
100 Hurdles: Keni Harrison*, Nia Ali, Sharika Nelvis, Jasmin Stowers
400 Hurdles: Cassandra Tate*, Dalilah Muhammad, Shamier Little, Georganne Moline
Steeplechase: Emma Coburn, Courtney Frerichs, Colleen Quigley
20 km Walk: Maria Michta-Coffey, Miranda Melville, Katie Burnett
Long Jump: Tianna Bartoletta*, Brittney Reese, Jasmine Todd, Quanesha Burks
Triple Jump: Keturah Orji, Andrea Geubelle, Tori Franklin
High Jump: Chaunte Lowe, Vashti Cunningham, Mady Fagan
Pole Vault: Sandi Morris, Jenn Suhr, Katie Nageotte
Shot Put: Michelle Carter, Raven Saunders, Felisha Johnson
Discus: Gia Lewis-Smallwood, Liz Podominick, Valarie Allman
Hammer Throw: Gwen Berry, Amber Campbell, Deanna Price
Javelin: Kara Winger, Hannah Carson, Rebekah Wales
Heptathlon: Erica Bougard, Kendell Williams, Sharon Day-Monroe